How Does a Red Giant Star Produce Energy Through Fusion Processes?

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SUMMARY

The energy production in a red giant star occurs through hydrogen fusion in a shell and helium fusion in the core. The mean densities are 30 g/cm3 for the hydrogen shell and 6000 g/cm3 for the core, with specific compositions of X=0.35, Y=0.63, Z=0.02 for the shell and Y=0.49, Z=0.51 for the core. The energy production rates are defined by the equations εPP_I, εCNO, and ε3α, with ε3α approximated at 10,000 erg/g/s under the given assumptions. The discussion emphasizes the dominance of CNO fusion over PP fusion in hydrogen fusion processes.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of stellar fusion processes, specifically hydrogen and helium fusion.
  • Familiarity with the concepts of mean density and chemical composition in astrophysics.
  • Knowledge of energy production equations in stellar environments, including εPP_I, εCNO, and ε3α.
  • Basic grasp of thermodynamic principles, particularly the relationship between temperature and energy production.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation and implications of the energy production equations εPP_I, εCNO, and ε3α in stellar astrophysics.
  • Research the processes of hydrogen and helium fusion in red giant stars, focusing on temperature calculations.
  • Explore the role of chemical composition (X, Y, Z) in determining fusion rates and energy output in stars.
  • Investigate the significance of mass loss during fusion processes and its impact on stellar evolution.
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, astrophysicists, and students studying stellar evolution and fusion processes will benefit from this discussion, particularly those focusing on red giant stars and their energy production mechanisms.

colloio
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Exercise_C_01
We consider a red giant star. The energy is produced by hydrogen fusion in a shell
and by helium fusion in the core.
We assume that the mean density in the hydrogen shell source is 30 g/cm3 and that
the mean chemical composition is X=0.35, Y=0.63 and Z=0.02.
The mean density in the core is assumed to be 6000 g/cm3 and the mean
composition is Y=0.49 and Z=0.51.
The energy production rates for the relevant processes are:

εPP_I=9*10^-6*X^2*(ρ/(g*cm^3)*(T/(10^6*T)^4 erg/s/g

εCNO=1.8*10^-21*X*Z*(ρ/(g*cm^3)*(T/(10^6*T)^18 erg/s/g

ε=1.7*10^-67*Y^3*(ρ/(g*cm^3)^2*(T/(10^6*T)^30 erg/s/g

We assume ε3α(centre)= εCNO(shell source) i.e. the energy production per gram
material is identical for the central triple-alpha fusion and the shell source CNOfusion.
The relative mass loss for hydrogen fusion is 0.7% and for helium-to-carbon fusion is
0.07%. We now assume that the star will use 2 million years to transform all the
helium to carbon in the core. We also assume that the star will have Y=0.98 at the
beginning of Helium-to-carbon fusion and that the energy production rate is constant
throughout the helium burning.C_01_1: Show that ε3α ≈ 10000 erg/g/s (using the above assumptions).
C_01_2: Calculate the temperature in the hydrogen shell source and in the
helium burning core. Show that CNO is dominating the hydrogen fusion and
that the PP-fusion rate is small.

I have tryed C_01_1 with E=m*c^2 without luck i get 97 erg/s/g and i have tried every kinda way to get 9700 instead, but no, i can't see it.

C_01_2 I am totally lost here don't know how to find the tempratur without ε for hydrogen.
 
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colloio said:
I have tryed C_01_1 with E=m*c^2 without luck i get 97 erg/s/g and i have tried every kinda way to get 9700 instead, but no, i can't see it.
How can we know what went wrong if you don't show your work?

You should define X, Y and Z, but I can guess that they are the fraction of hydrogen, helium and metals (by number of atoms or by weight?).

T/(10^6*T) is T/(10^6*K)?
 

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